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Forces Detain Terrorist Leaders in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2011  Afghan and coalition forces captured several suspected insurgents, including two Haqqani terrorist network leaders and a Taliban weapons trafficker, yesterday in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

Based on intelligence reports from local residents, forces detained the two Haqqani terrorists along with several other suspects in Khost province’s Sabari district. One Haqqani terrorist is an alleged explosive device trafficker, while the other reportedly is responsible for smuggling other types of weapons and money throughout the province.

In operations March 5 throughout Afghanistan:

-- Forces killed two insurgents, including a local Taliban leader linked to weapons trafficking, in a gun battle in Kunduz province’s Imam Sahib district. Troops detained two suspected insurgents after searching the Taliban leader’s compound.

-- Security forces detained four suspected insurgents, including a Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin terrorist commander responsible for smuggling foreign fighters, explosive devices and various weapons and munitions into Afghanistan for use against security forces.

-- Forces found two weapons stockpiles in operations throughout Afghanistan. The operations resulted in seizure of more than 420 assault-rifle rounds, 17 rocket-propelled grenades, four assault rifles, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers and assorted bomb-making materials.

Afghan and coalition forces also found several weapons and drug caches in March 4 throughout the country. Operations resulted in seizure of 600 pounds of hashish, 100 assault rifle rounds, 75 various rockets and mortars, 60 anti-personnel mines, 53 rocket-propelled grenades, 25 pounds of homemade liquid explosives and a vehicle-mounted, large-caliber automatic machine gun.